Jun 1, 2020, 4:17 pm
Last edit by: AAway
Admirals Clubs began opening 22 June 2020. (Flagship Lounges and Flagship First Dining have no immediate plans for reopening.)
Link to AA lounge changes and updates page
As of May 7, 2021:
We adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and use enhanced cleaning measures throughout our clubs.
You're required to wear a face covering in the club, but you may briefly lift or lower it while eating or drinking.
Seating in these clubs is also not available at this time.
The official notification from AA on 4 Jun 2020 (link):
“American Airlines will begin reopening Admirals Club lounges in phases, beginning June 22, after making improvements to adapt the clubs and product offerings to reinforce the well-being of customers and everyone who works in the clubs. See post 61 for a recent Club experience.
The following locations (did) open June 22 with pre-packaged snack offerings and a full-service bar for customers to enjoy complimentary and premium beverages. Hours vary by location and capacity and offerings could be limited due to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines or local orders or restrictions. List updated 15 July 2020. Link to Club openings, changes.
As food and beverages are served again, these are discussed in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ug-2020-a.html
.
Food and drink service
As we begin to reopen, we'll have modified food and drink service. Here is what you can expect: (link to Club f&b thread)
.The following safety actions have been taken.
Link to archived 2020 posts from this thread.
Link to AA lounge changes and updates page
As of May 7, 2021:
An update on our lounges
Admirals Club® lounges are reopening in phases with new improvements to reinforce your well-being.We adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and use enhanced cleaning measures throughout our clubs.
You're required to wear a face covering in the club, but you may briefly lift or lower it while eating or drinking.
Reopened clubs
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Austin (AUS) – Gate 22
- Boston (BOS) – Terminal B
- Charlotte (CLT) – Concourses B and C
- Chicago O'Hare (ORD) – Concourse H/K; Concourse G (re-opened August 2021); and Concourse L (re-opened July 2021)
- Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW) – Terminals A, B, C, D, and E
- Denver (DEN) – Concourse A
- Houston Intercontinental (IAH) – Terminal A
- Los Angeles (LAX) – Terminal 4, Terminal 5 and Eagle Regional Terminal
- Mexico City / CDMX (MEX)
- Miami (MIA) – Gates D15, D30
- Nashville (BNA) – Concourse C
- New York Kennedy (JFK) – Terminal 8 (in the Flagship® Lounge)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Concourse D
- Orange County (SNA) – Gate 8
- Orlando (MCO) – Gate 55
- Paris, France (CDG)
- Philadelphia (PHL) – Terminals B/C
- Phoenix (PHX) – Gate A7 and B5
- Raleigh / Durham (RDU) – Terminal 2
- San Francisco (SFO) – Terminal 1
- Săo Paulo (GRU)
- St. Louis (STL) – Concourse C (Only open Monday - Friday 5am-6:30pm)
- Tampa (TPA) – Gate 85
- Washington Reagan (DCA) – Terminal B & C
- Buenos Aires (EZE) - In front of Gate 8 - Terminal A
Clubs reopening as service centers
These locations are open as service centers and are available to offer travel assistance:- Pittsburgh (PIT) – Main Lobby
Seating in these clubs is also not available at this time.
Temporarily closed Admirals Clubs
- Honolulu (HNL)
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- Miami (MIA) – Gates E
- Newark (EWR)
- Philadelphia (PHL) – Terminal A and F
- Phoenix (PHX) – Gate A19
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GIG)
- Toronto, Canada (YYZ)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW)
- London Heathrow (LHR) – International First Class Lounge
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- New York Kennedy (JFK)
- DFW
- LAX
- MIA
- JFK
The official notification from AA on 4 Jun 2020 (link):
“American Airlines will begin reopening Admirals Club lounges in phases, beginning June 22, after making improvements to adapt the clubs and product offerings to reinforce the well-being of customers and everyone who works in the clubs. See post 61 for a recent Club experience.
The following locations (did) open June 22 with pre-packaged snack offerings and a full-service bar for customers to enjoy complimentary and premium beverages. Hours vary by location and capacity and offerings could be limited due to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines or local orders or restrictions. List updated 15 July 2020. Link to Club openings, changes.
As food and beverages are served again, these are discussed in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ug-2020-a.html
.
Food and drink service
As we begin to reopen, we'll have modified food and drink service. Here is what you can expect: (link to Club f&b thread)
- Complimentary pre-packaged snacks
- Disposable, single-use glassware
- Full-service bar
- Touchless menus with signage and QR codes. Physical menus will be available upon request.
- Self-serve areas will remain closed for now.
.The following safety actions have been taken.
- Plexiglass shields at reception and service desks.
- Foot-operated door openers to enable touchless operation of restroom doors (where feasible).
- Hand sanitizer stations for customers.
- Signage and floor decals to remind customers to practice social distancing.
Link to archived 2020 posts from this thread.
Admirals Club / Lounges: Openings, Closures, etc. 2021-2022
Jan 20, 2022, 10:51 pm
#871
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LAX/PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 292
PHL and LAX are my two main airports, so I can definitely give some insight.
The AC is pretty barebones. If you're looking for anything more than a nice, quiet place to sit with complimentary coffee and light bites, you're going to be disappointed. With that being said, it beats out sitting in a bustling airport terminal for the same time any day of the week. The coffee is decent, and while the snack choices after breakfast are uninspired, to say the least, I think I'd rather eat free/unlimited build-your-own mezze than a poorly made panini that costs 18 dollars.
One thing I will give credit to AA for is the AC breakfast selection. I'm consistently impressed by how tasty and varied the options are. Scrambled eggs with various toppings, assorted breakfast baked goods (bagels, english muffins, muffins), fresh fruit, different greek yogurts, waffles with syrup/berries, hard boiled eggs. I actually might consider the AC over the Centurion for my AM flights in PHL just because the food is so consistent and is simple. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for an elevated meal, but at 7:30am, I'll take waffles and eggs over chickpea hash and toast with compote.
So yes, if you're flying that many times per year, it pays for itself. Day passes are atrociously expensive, so you'll be saving quite a bit. One thing I will say is if you plan on flying to places with Centurion lounges, it could be worth it to get the Amex Platinum, esp for the free drinks (very expensive and much more limited in the AC). Let me know if you have any more questions.
The AC is pretty barebones. If you're looking for anything more than a nice, quiet place to sit with complimentary coffee and light bites, you're going to be disappointed. With that being said, it beats out sitting in a bustling airport terminal for the same time any day of the week. The coffee is decent, and while the snack choices after breakfast are uninspired, to say the least, I think I'd rather eat free/unlimited build-your-own mezze than a poorly made panini that costs 18 dollars.
One thing I will give credit to AA for is the AC breakfast selection. I'm consistently impressed by how tasty and varied the options are. Scrambled eggs with various toppings, assorted breakfast baked goods (bagels, english muffins, muffins), fresh fruit, different greek yogurts, waffles with syrup/berries, hard boiled eggs. I actually might consider the AC over the Centurion for my AM flights in PHL just because the food is so consistent and is simple. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for an elevated meal, but at 7:30am, I'll take waffles and eggs over chickpea hash and toast with compote.
So yes, if you're flying that many times per year, it pays for itself. Day passes are atrociously expensive, so you'll be saving quite a bit. One thing I will say is if you plan on flying to places with Centurion lounges, it could be worth it to get the Amex Platinum, esp for the free drinks (very expensive and much more limited in the AC). Let me know if you have any more questions.
1. LAX lounge in TBIT is currently closed and there seems to be no reopening date. It's very close to terminal 4 too with the new connecting buildings for a 5 minute walk, and it actually serves all complimentary drinks.
2. PHL lounge is in terminal A-West which is approximately 10 minutes from terminal B where domestic AA fly's out. Seems to be worth the walk? I normally go through TSA on terminal B, but can I go through terminal A instead?
3. Cost is $700 for Amex Platinum vs. $600 for AC annual membership. I wouldn't use anything for Amex Platinum except for lounge access.
If it wasn't for the LAX lounge being closed, it seems like Centurion is better for me in my LAX/PHL situation with just a little bit more cost? Thanks again for the feedback!
Jan 21, 2022, 2:28 pm
#872
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Woah, I completely forgot about Centurion lounges so I looked more closely into this:
1. LAX lounge in TBIT is currently closed and there seems to be no reopening date. It's very close to terminal 4 too with the new connecting buildings for a 5 minute walk, and it actually serves all complimentary drinks.
2. PHL lounge is in terminal A-West which is approximately 10 minutes from terminal B where domestic AA fly's out. Seems to be worth the walk? I normally go through TSA on terminal B, but can I go through terminal A instead?
3. Cost is $700 for Amex Platinum vs. $600 for AC annual membership. I wouldn't use anything for Amex Platinum except for lounge access.
If it wasn't for the LAX lounge being closed, it seems like Centurion is better for me in my LAX/PHL situation with just a little bit more cost? Thanks again for the feedback!
1. LAX lounge in TBIT is currently closed and there seems to be no reopening date. It's very close to terminal 4 too with the new connecting buildings for a 5 minute walk, and it actually serves all complimentary drinks.
2. PHL lounge is in terminal A-West which is approximately 10 minutes from terminal B where domestic AA fly's out. Seems to be worth the walk? I normally go through TSA on terminal B, but can I go through terminal A instead?
3. Cost is $700 for Amex Platinum vs. $600 for AC annual membership. I wouldn't use anything for Amex Platinum except for lounge access.
If it wasn't for the LAX lounge being closed, it seems like Centurion is better for me in my LAX/PHL situation with just a little bit more cost? Thanks again for the feedback!
- You also get a $200 annual flight credit that you can use for AA incidentals.
- You also get Priority Pass (club) access.
- On some occasions, buying tickets through Amex Int flight program can save you some good money.
So that might add some more value for you with the Amex.
Jan 21, 2022, 4:05 pm
#873
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LAX/PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 292
Thanks for the additional info for Amex Global321. I looked further into Priority Pass for LAX since Centurion is still closed there, and KAL Lounge in TBIT is available that's close to terminal 4 but it has restricted hours between 11AM to 5PM so that doesn't work for me either. Also, reading back on prior threads here @ FT, AC has really been stripped post pandemic so FlyFreakquently's earlier post, it's pretty barebones which is sad because it looked awesome pre-pandemic. At this point though, I may still buy the AC membership just to tide me over so I don't have to wait at the gate.
Jan 21, 2022, 4:23 pm
#874
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 216
Thanks for the additional info for Amex Global321. I looked further into Priority Pass for LAX since Centurion is still closed there, and KAL Lounge in TBIT is available that's close to terminal 4 but it has restricted hours between 11AM to 5PM so that doesn't work for me either. Also, reading back on prior threads here @ FT, AC has really been stripped post pandemic so FlyFreakquently's earlier post, it's pretty barebones which is sad because it looked awesome pre-pandemic. At this point though, I may still buy the AC membership just to tide me over so I don't have to wait at the gate.
Jan 21, 2022, 4:52 pm
#875
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: AA-Platinum Pro
Posts: 12
Charlotte (CLT) Admirals CLub
JWP
Jan 21, 2022, 5:17 pm
#876
Join Date: Jan 2021
Programs: Alaska Airlines MVP Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 100
Sorry not too familiar with CDG AC but does anyone know if you can use it if you're flying out on Iberia (Schegen flights)? Cannot tell if the Terminals are connected post security or not
Jan 21, 2022, 5:50 pm
#877
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Texas
Programs: Hyatt Glob (Barely); Marriott Plat Life; AA Up and Down Now Plat; Hilton, UA, BA, HA Peasant
Posts: 2,668
Just curious what did ACs offer pre-pandemic that it no longer offers today that it's making folks consider it awesome before and barebones now?
Sometimes little more than the veggies/cheese/grapes that have largely returned. There was usually a coos coos or farrow salad that was pretty good. At some point that changed to quinoa salad. Which I guess changed to the current lentil salad.
But before the loads caved in they were on an experimental "menu improvement" kick. Often a more elaborate build your own salad, or build your own taco,or a build your own baked potato, Frequently a soup or two in the evening as now, but more variety, or maybe pasta and sauce in some form. A few one-offs like min-BLT's. Oh, and the mini-brownies. They were small but awesome.
But still the reason to go there is it is a quieter place to wait. Not all would agree, but if I'm not getting home to DFW too late (and they are no longer replenishing food), I wind down faster if I stop there and am not looking to eat when I get to the house.
Jan 21, 2022, 7:17 pm
#878
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
-FlyerBeek
Jan 21, 2022, 7:39 pm
#879
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
The primary benefit is the escape from the crowded terminal. As of today, the offering is not much different. If you are fine with well/"value brand" spirits and wine and domestic beer, you'll enjoy some free drinks. Otherwise, you'll pay the same price for popular/premium options as you would at the airport bar, and the membership basically reverts to the escape from the crowds again. There is (and always has been) an upper limit to the complimentary food offering in terms of appeal, as there are prepared dishes promoted for sale as well.
Jan 21, 2022, 8:02 pm
#880
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Iberia uses Terminal 2B/D which is a separate concourse.
By the way, if you find a way to enter Terminal 2A/C airside with an Iberia boarding pass, you would be able to use the AC but with clearing an additional round of security + passport control twice it might not be worth the hassle.
Feb 7, 2022, 7:20 am
#882
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: EZE
Programs: UA Gold,Delta Gold Bonvoy Titanium Elite, HH Diamond , AA Platinum, EENational, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,548
Admirals Club GRU
Wanted to share my experience at the Admirals Club at GRU.
- nice food selection
- showers were available
- you can serve yourself but with gloves
- alcoholic beverages served by an attendant
- nice food selection
- showers were available
- you can serve yourself but with gloves
- alcoholic beverages served by an attendant
Feb 17, 2022, 9:19 am
#884
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: SNA
Posts: 928
Yes, it's open. Was there last weekend and it is always nice to get out of that toilet of a terminal. Perfectly decent for an AC.